Demonheart
by Celyia
Summary: After being left behind by Inuyasha, Kagome encounters the half-demon's older brother. ( Sesshoumaru / Kagome ) ***UPDATED CHAPTER 1***
1. Without A Paddle

**Title:** Demonheart   
**Author:** Celyia (cel@celyia.com)   
**Rating:** PG  
**Genre:** Romance/Adventure   
**Dedication:** Special thanks to Fueled by Oxygen and J.A. Olsen. Without you, this story would have been placed in a little tiny box and hidden in the attic! Thank you for being so damn supportive and making me feel like I actually had a story to tell!  
**Disclaimer:** I own nothing, not even a good brush. Man, I so need a brush right now. Oh, yeah. Betcha Rumiko Takahashi and her minions have a TON of brushes from all the money they are making from owning Inuyasha and all characters within.   
**Notes:** This is a rewrite of a story I started last year with new stuff added to hopefully make things more interesting. If there is no date listed in the notes, then that chapter hasn't been updated yet.   
  
Anyway, let's see how this stuff goes. Maybe the Muse will strike! Thanks for your patience and I hope you like!   
  
-Cel, 9 September 2002   
  
  
  


* * *

  
  
  
**Prologue **   
  
  
It was absolutely magnificent.   
  
Shouma held the jewel in her hands, smiling slightly as the brilliant colors burst from its translucent heart in a startling array of light. Slowly, she turned the jewel with a clawed thumb, savoring the way it stole the warmth from her very fingers.   
  
Even in the deep night, a mesmerizing radiance still burned within the sphere, seducing her eyes until all she could see were the vivid blues, purples, and oranges fighting for dominance within. So riveting was the struggle, it was easy to overlook the deep green essence that was slowly extending its influence over the very heart of the jewel.   
  
Shouma laughed out loud, her voice sweet and enchanting as it echoed into the abandoned shrine. She had certainly not expected to see the presence of the green, especially in that magnitude, but it was a welcome sight.   
  
There was power in the jewel: much more power than she ever thought possible. Unmarred by even a single instance of black or brown, the jewel pulsated an energy that the female knew instinctively would have gotten stronger had it been allowed to remain in its humble home.   
  
Unfortunately, she had run out of time.   
  
Logically, she knew that she shouldn't have been disappointed since the gem surpassed her every hope, but just like a child who hungered for more dessert even though his appetite had been sated, Shouma couldn't help but regret seizing the jewel before it reached its full potential.   
  
Potential.   
  
The realization hit her full on as she raised the gem to the dim light, a frown curving her lips as she looked at it with a new, more serious eye.   
  
To possess such an incredible potential at such a young age was disturbing. The father had only reached such potency at the end of his long life and even then, the power had been diminished by the presence of small, nearly imperceptible flecks of brown marring the surface.   
  
No. The jewel would suit its purpose and she would count herself lucky. With a determined nod, Shouma looked to the harvest moon that hung so low in the evening sky.   
  
"How fitting," the youkai murmured, tossing her head back as she felt a light breeze caress the golden fuzz that covered her scalp. Just in this case, she thought with a huge smile, she had to wait a few centuries for the harvest instead of mere months.   
  
But, Shouma smirked in arrogant satisfaction as she placed the walnut-sized demonheart back into her heavily lined pocket with a pat; it had been well worth the wait.   
  
  
  
**Chapter One:** _Without A Paddle_   
  
  
He sat dumbly upon the ground, his golden eyes wide as his fingers twisted the length of ebony hair seemingly of their own accord. His slender hand clasped the straggles tightly, the hair escaping from between his fingers as if each strand realized the owner was tempted to tear the entire mess out. But slowly, the whitened knuckles relaxed until finally the almost imperceptibly trembling hand pulled away.   
  
Nothing would be won by such a foolhardy action, the most aware part of his consciousness insisted even as his most basest instincts howled in disagreement. Quietly, his eyes fell upon the neatly trimmed nails that erupted from the pink beds at the tip of each finger. Frowning at the dull pain he felt as he pressed the edge of the sharpest nail into his palm, he slowly increased the pressure until a droplet of bright red blood oozed out along the engraved lines that tracked along his palm. Barely restraining himself from sighing heavily as he realized how much pressure was needed to draw blood, the man bowed his head, the action seemingly calm and almost reverent.   
  
He missed his claws, he decided suddenly as he forced himself to stand upon the muscular calves that hid beneath the white silk. These things, he thought, sneering at his hands in disgust, were weak and useless… and completely unsuitable for a youkai lord. Completely. Barely biting back the growl that wavered in his throat, he shifted his weight from foot to foot as he stood in the darkened field.   
  
The tail thing would take some getting used to, he thought as he tilted back his head until the golden eyes stared up at the silver moon. He felt almost as if his entire body were thrown off-balance, though his mind knew it was only a reaction from suddenly missing the tail that had been casually draped over his shoulder for the entire span of his life.   
  
No. He would simply not get used to it, he decided as he strode back towards the large room he had rented at the Inn for the night. There was no reason to get used to it, he told himself firmly as he ignored the curious looks from the Inn's patrons as he scaled the staircase. Imperviously, he met the eyes of the innkeeper's wife, only to watch her flinch visibly as he tossed her one of his most haughty glares.   
  
At least I still have that, he thought, hating the feeling of frustration that washed over him as he pushed open the door. Growling softly as he noticed the tiny form sprawled out across the entire bed, Sesshoumaru quietly stood at the entrance as he considered the options before him.   
  
Once this became known, he thought as he folded his arms across his chest, the attacks would begin. His enemies were simply too numerous and his lands were too great. It was simply impossible to hide something of this magnitude, he admitted as he quietly crossed the room to stand over the little girl.   
  
She looked so sweet and peaceful, her long black hair draped over the gray, worn sheets that covered the bed.   
  
The damn hellion.   
  
Just by the aura alone they'd know what happened, Sesshoumaru sighed internally as he reached a hand down to shake the child awake. The trouble would begin tomorrow for certain, if not tonight. As such, his frail body would need a good night's sleep to prepare.   
  
Speaking of which…. Why did he spend all this money getting a room with a child's bed if the little brat insisted on always sleeping in his? He should just drop her off at the next village, tears or not. She was too much trouble for such a small, worthless thing.   
  
Shaking the thought off, he sighed as he sat on the edge of the bed, his reserves of energy fading fast as he listened to Rin's soft snoring. She would need sleep too. The last thing he needed was to be held up because the child was too tired to continue.   
  
Biting back a sigh as the sleeping child wrapped her arms around his waist, Sesshoumaru raised his eyes up to the heavens. From experience he knew that the only way to release the chubby hands would be to wake up the child, but then it would undoubtedly take hours to get her back to sleep.   
  
Oh, even worse: she might ask for a bedtime story again.   
  
Such nonsense! he thought as he reclined back upon the bed. Rolling his eyes impatiently as the girl seemed to instinctively cuddle up to his form, Sesshoumaru made a note to discuss this transgression… once again… with the five-year-old.   
  
Ignoring the soft warmth of her small body as it curled up in the hollow of his arms, Sesshoumaru commanded his active mind to silence as he decided that it would be just as well to fall asleep.   
  
Tomorrow he would discover the reason why, he told himself firmly as he leaned his head against her small one. And then he'd make the person responsible pay.   
  
Biting the inside of his lip hard as he felt a strange burning sensation in his eyes, the former demon squeezed the small child tightly, unwittingly taking comfort from her presence. Unable to sleep for the first time in his long life, he forced his mind to thoughts of revenge as he tried not to wonder what chaos the discovery that he, the great youkai Sesshoumaru, had been transformed into a human would bring.   
  
  
  
**Note:** If you are familiar with the old version, you'll notice that while I added a prologue, not much else has been changed so far except for grammatical corrections. That will probably remain true for the next chapter as well though I expect Chapter 3 and on will be diverge greatly. Hope you like the changes! Thanks!   
  



	2. Alone In A World Foreign

  
**Title:** Demonheart   
**Author:** Celyia (ladycelyia@aol.com)   
**Rating:** R   
**Genre:** Romance/Adventure   
**Pairing:** Kagome/Sesshoumaru   
**Disclaimer:** I own nothing.   
**Distribution:** Feel free. Just let me know where it goes :- )   
**Notes:** This first chapter is a bit on the short side. Ooops. I hate short chapters! Bear with me, eh?   
  


* * *

  
  
**Chapter One: Alone In A World Foreign**   
  
  
  
She would not let it get to her, Kagome told herself firmly as she forced her eyes away from the dawning horizon.   
  
"…in a couple of days," Kaede continued, her voice almost indifferent even as her one eye seemed to soften with compassion.   
  
"The JERK!" the girl mumbled angrily under her breath, quickly forgetting her resolution of just a second before. Nodding at the old priestess, who had politely pretended as though she didn't hear the grumbling, Kagome leaned against the thin wooden wall of a village hut.   
  
"Well," she began, pushing out her chin defiantly as she looked at the priestess, "while he's chasing that shard all over Japan, I'll do some looking too… "   
  
"Kagome, without Inuyasha's powers to protect you and the Shikon no Tama, I don't think it would be wise for you to leave the village."   
  
"I'll take Shippou with me."   
  
Kaede just stared quietly at the girl, her calm brown eye speaking volumes even as her mouth did not.   
  
Sighing in defeat, Kagome pushed herself away from the wall. Great, this mess was just what she needed. With her family staying at her Aunt Furiko's for the weekend and the shrine completely abandoned for the next few days, Kagome felt no desire to return there. Plus, there's nothing more irritating than being told you can't do something because you are too weak, she growled silently as she bit her bottom lip. Really. It wasn't like she was useless!   
  
"I told him I'd be back today," the teenager started, her voice soft as she looked up at the woman. "I've just gotten so far behind in my classes, Kaede-sama. I would have failed my exams if I hadn't stayed away this week…"   
  
"It is a large burden to carry," the old priestess interrupted, her wrinkled face jutting out towards the brightening sun. "Inuyasha may not like it, but he does understand it. Which made it even more important for him to shoulder some of the responsibility for retrieving those shards he can."   
  
Kagome nodded slowly, fighting the urge to cry as she wondered where the lecherous priest and short tempered half-demon were at the moment. Probably having a grand old time without me bogging them down, she thought bitterly.   
  
Oh, get over it, she rolled her eyes suddenly as the pettiness of her jealousy hit her. You know that wherever they are, undoubtedly they are arguing and insulting each other. Do you really regret missing that?   
  
Take it as a gift, the girl decided as she ran a hand through her wavy black hair. "I haven't had a time to really get to know the people here," she said softly as she looked to the priestess. "Maybe this weekend will be the perfect chance to really get a hold of life in the Age of the Warring States."   
  
Kaede's habitual frown softened into a half-smile as the optimism in the girl's voice took control of the melancholy.   
  
"There are a village of people here," the priestess nodded as she laid a gentle hand on the girl's back, "who would like the chance to know the woman who protects them."   
  
"Yes," Kagome smiled happily as she watched a brilliant blue bird fly overhead. How beautiful, she thought as she felt her heart fill with joy. No, this may work out after all. After the last few years of non-stop stressing over reassembling the Shikon no Tama and studying for exams, she had earned the right to take a couple of days off. To forget her responsibilities for one weekend: what a wonderful opportunity was that?   
  
"Yes," Kagome continued as she started walking in the direction of the whispering stream, "a weekend of peace and quiet may be exactly what the doctor ordered."   
  
  
  



	3. Weakness

  
**Title:** Demonheart   
**Author:** Celyia (ladycelyia@aol.com)   
**Rating:** R   
**Genre:** Romance/Adventure   
**Pairing:** Kagome/Sesshoumaru   
**Disclaimer:** I own nothing.   
**Distribution:** Feel free. Just let me know where it goes :- )   
**Notes:** And the foundation is set...   
  


* * *

  
  
**Chapter Two: Weakness**   
  
  
  
  
  
He stood at the forest's edge, his entire body weary from exhaustion as the three made their way slowly through the land. With a slight frown, he turned to the child who had been stumbling behind him for the last few hours. Even he, a demon lord, was having a difficult time navigating through the terrain. How did the child manage to make it?   
  
He turned away, intent on concentrating on his own steps even as he pushed aside a fern as he waited for Rin to follow in his steps.   
  
Hiding a wince as he tried to ignore the sound of the girl falling to her knees, Sesshoumaru silently cursed the lack of restraint these humans seemed to have when it came to emotions.   
  
It was pitiful really, he thought as he stopped dead in his tracks to lift the girl to her feet. Shooting her his most imposing glare as she lisped a thank you, the former demon continued on his way, leaving his retainer to hurry the child along.   
  
The urge to growl or even sigh in frustration was nearly overwhelming at times, he thought in wonder as he waited for the toad demon and human to catch up. He just simply couldn't understand. It was truly amazing humans achieved anything considering the amount of time they must waste a day with their petty "I love you"s and hatreds. After all, it wasn't as if demons had no emotions: they just possessed a greater restraint. And even among demons, his own restraint had been legendary.   
  
Yes. Life had been much simpler then.   
  
Barely intercepting a sigh before it left his lips, Sesshoumaru glared at the toad demon as the small creature pulled the child along cruelly by a wrist.   
  
Jaken had been acting quite unusual this morning, he reflected as he tried to ignore the rising urge to pound the retainer's head in retribution for his callous treatment of the child. The demon undoubtedly found his hackles rising at the idea of serving a human, albeit only a temporary one, master. Forcing himself to ignore the anger that was attempting to spin out of control, Sesshoumaru instead considered the calm serenity that the forest offered.   
  
He would soon be entering his brother's territory.   
  
Unable to control the slight growl that escaped from his throat, Sesshoumaru once again wondered what perverse god had encouraged him to take this shortcut.   
  
Suddenly, struck by the desire to turn back before his brother could discover his shame, Sesshoumaru stopped in his tracks.   
  
"My lord?" Jaken asked, his voice sounding oddly impertinent even as it uttered the subservient words.   
  
"It is inconvenient to be forced to wait for you two. Carry the child and be done with it," he quickly responded, hesitant to show his weakness before his subordinate.   
  
"Ah, yes. It is too large to carry, my lord. Can we not just leave…"   
  
"Ask that again and I will strike you down where you stand," Sesshoumaru said, struggling to keep his voice calm and inflection-less. His confidence boosted by the success, he turned back briefly and hefted the child up into his arms. "Well, then, if you are too weak to do it, then I suppose I must."   
  
"Sesshie-sama!" the girl giggled in delight, her tired eyes brightened by the contact.   
  
"Say not a word, child. I will not deal with your prattling now," he muttered, barely resisting the urge to nuzzle his face in her soft hair even as she buried her head at the crook of his neck.   
  
"Thank you, Sesshie-sama," Rin whispered as she wrapped her chubby arms about his neck.   
  
Biting the inside of his lip in impatience as he realised the child was on the verge of falling asleep, the demon lord continued, trying not to walk too jarringly as he abandoned his previous direction and instead headed towards the river he knew was nearby.   
  
The child had not complained once, he thought as he tried to deny the sudden affection that tugged at his heart. She deserved a break for her loyalty.   
  
"Master?"   
  
"We shall break for a few minutes until the child regains her strength… I shall not carry her the entire way to the Oracle."   
  
"Yes, my lord. Shall I requisition a meal?" the demon asked, his bulging eyes looking away from the man's visage.   
  
Amusing, Sesshoumaru decided even as a part of him was repulsed by the idea, the little toad can't abide to look at me now that I'm human.   
  
"Very well," he inclined his head towards the comforting whisper of the river, "we shall be over there. And Jaken? Buy the meals. I do not feel like dealing with angry human mobs right now. It's bad for digestion."   
  
The toad nodded once, scurrying away before the man could add a single word.   
  
Making a note to reprimand his retainer for the transgression, Sesshoumaru forced his feet to continue walking towards the water.   
  
This human body, he thought in disgust as he came to the cliff's edge, was severely unsuited for the task of traipsing throughout the land. His muscles aching as he climbed down the small but steep cliff, Sesshoumaru allowed a sigh to escape as he placed the child upon the grassy knoll beside the calm river. It would have been easier and a lot less taxing had he just awoken the child like any reasonable demon lord would, but something had kept him from disturbing her slumber.   
  
No doubt the threat of being pestered by her constant questions, he told himself firmly as he knelt by the edge of the gently flowing water. Frowning as he caught a glimpse of his new reflection in the water's surface, the demon-come-human dashed a hand suddenly into the water.   
  
He simply couldn't get used to the unmarked face, he thought as he pushed the mass of black hair over his shoulder and out of sight. Without thinking about it, he splashed the cold water upon his face, only to grimace as the chill invaded his system. Instinctively, he raised his face towards the burning sun, enjoying the way its warmth usurped the chill from his body only to replace it with its own comfort.   
  
Disgusted by this strange neediness of this foreign body, Sesshoumaru shook his head as he glanced around the riverside.   
  
And then he saw her.   
  
Almost like a vision, she rose from the depths of the river, droplets of water glistening in her jet-black hair as she hummed to herself. Wrinkling his nose as he felt his body respond to the girl's nakedness, Sesshoumaru turned his head away from the priestess whom followed his younger brother's every step.   
  
Beautiful, yes, he told himself as he forced his eyes away from her tanned body and bared breasts. But human. And a certain sign his annoying little hanyou of a brother would be around somewhere. The bathing girl forgotten for the moment as he imagined his brother's reaction to the most recent turn of events, Sesshoumaru turned back towards the sleeping Rin with the intention of leaving the river and its inhabitants as quickly and quietly as possible.   
  
They would be upwind, he realised in relief as he swept the child into his arms. Perhaps he would find luck on his side and his scent wouldn't carry to his brother's keen nose. In the midst of it all, the last thing he wanted was to see his brother's gloating…   
  
"You aren't leaving so soon, are you now, Lord Sesshoumaru?" a new voice interrupted, its soft voice free of any hint as to gender.   
  
"You aren't worth my time," the former demon bit off as he lowered the child gently back to the moist earth. Cursing the black hair that swung dramatically around his head as he turned to face the owner of the softly threatening words, Sesshoumaru silently prepared himself for a fight against a water demon that he knew he could never win while trapped in this body.   
  
  
  



	4. To The Victor

  
**Title:** Demonheart   
**Author:** Celyia (ladycelyia@aol.com)   
**Rating:** R   
**Genre:** Romance/Adventure   
**Pairing:** Kagome/Sesshoumaru   
**Disclaimer:** I own nothing.   
**Distribution:** Feel free. Just let me know where it goes :- )   
**Notes:** Geesh. I can't seem to write a long chapter for the life of me! Oh, well. :-) I'll flesh them out later. This one is a little boring... Unfortunately, I can't write fight scenes! *pouts big time* Hope you can hang in there! Thanks!   
  


* * *

  
  
**Chapter Three: To The Victor...**   
  
  
  
He stood there quietly, his body prepared for the force of upcoming impact as he waited for the water demon to strike.   
  
Low level youkai, Sesshoumaru decided as his golden eyes flickered over the bulbous, translucent head of the tentacled beast. Odd, he thought, his fingers arching instinctively in a claw-like fashion, that kind of youkai tends to be rather the peaceful sort.   
  
And normally unable to speak, Sesshoumaru frowned as he listened to the threatening snarl that emerged from the towering body. It's either under the control of another youkai or of a Shikon no Tama shard, the demon lord deduced as silently cursed his brother and the wench for shattering the jewel.   
  
The damn thing had been nothing but trouble ever since.   
  
How many times had he come across dimwitted creatures with more brawn than brain whose little insignificant lives had been boosted by the effect of having a shard? In disgust, he stared down the creature that moved slowly before him. Those who searched for the Shikon no Tama were not worth his time and those who insisted bothering him in their search for power deserved their doom.   
  
Like this creature here.   
  
Water demon, Sesshoumaru repeated silently as he relaxed his fingers. Its weaknesses would undoubtedly be an aversion to fire and the need to be in a body of water. Perhaps I don't possess the strength I had last night, but I don't need it to destroy a simpleton.   
  
"Give me the demonheart and I just might spare the life of you and the child," the oozing mass slurred, its tones confident and unyielding.   
  
Not bothering to decipher the meaning of the youkai's demands, Sesshoumaru stood silently, his eyes hard and focused as he stared indifferently at his aggressor. With an arrogant incline of his head, the former demon dared the trembling mass of youkai to do its worst.   
  
Enraged by Sesshoumaru's casual indifference to the challenge, the youkai lashed a vicious tentacle at the demon lord's head, only to snarl in anger as Sesshoumaru dodged the attack effortlessly.   
  
"Sesshie-sama?" a young girl's voice asked, the sweet tone that still stumbled over his name a startling difference from the sounds of battle.   
  
Instinctively, he turned his head to look at the little girl, only to wince in pain as the demon's tentacle punched the very breath from his lungs. Collapsing to his knees, Sesshoumaru stared menacingly at the water demon even as he tried to regain his composure.   
  
"No! Don't hurt him!" Rin screamed, her arms outstretched protectively as she stood in front of her guardian's body. Her eyes, still misted from sleep, were squeezed nearly shut as she anticipated the lash of a tentacle against her fragile body. Yet, the little girl nonetheless stood her ground.   
  
"Child, don't interfere. This is not your fight," the demon lord growled, his breath slowly coming back.   
  
The girl ignored him, her pretty mouth pulled into a frown as she glared at the water demon.   
  
She's going to get herself killed, Sesshoumaru realised, his heart falling to his feet.   
  
"Rin. Move to the side," he started again, his voice filled with a firmness the girl had rarely heard directed towards her. Unfortunately, it didn't seem to impress her much. "Please. Just move."   
  
The little girl shook her head violently, the small black pigtail bouncing chaotically with the movement. Glaring at the monster that hovered over her little form, Rin wrinkled her nose.   
  
"Forcing children to fight your battles for you?" the youkai taunted, its pulsating body slithering out of the water and towards the fallen lord. "Ah, your methods are your own. Just give me the demonheart and I'll allow you to continue."   
  
"Rin. This shall be the last time I tell you. Move to the side and move now," Sesshoumaru demanded, his voice leaving no room for debate. For the first time, Rin's wide eyes flickered with a bout of uncertainty. Her lip pushed out in a pout as she silently looked down at the demon-come-man who was currently fighting to regain his balance. Wincing with regret, she turned her head away and held her position between them.   
  
"Very well," the youkai said, its tone sounding completely unrepentant. "I guess I'll just kill you both… starting with the girl."   
  
Ruthlessly, the demon lord grabbed the girl by her shoulder and pulled her down behind him. Even with his inferior human nose, he could still smell the blood Rin shed as her knees scraped against the rocky ground. Pushing thoughts of remorse out of his head, Sesshoumaru carefully appraised his opponent.   
  
It had left the safety of the river, Sesshoumaru realised, killing the smile before it had the opportunity to usurp his normally stoic expression. The fool had left the safety of the river in order to press its advantage over what it considered a weak human.   
  
Foolish indeed. Heartened by the realisation, Sesshoumaru was determined to make the youkai feel the burn of what would soon be a mortal mistake.   
  
Nearly smiling with anticipation, Sesshoumaru stepped neatly away from the weeping child, his mind so busy with planning his strategies that he could see nothing but the towering youkai. Savouring the opportunity to test his new human body, the demon lord subtly bounced on the balls of his feet as he waited for the youkai to strike.   
  
Which is precisely why he grunted in outrage when he saw the wooden shaft of an arrow pierce a writhing tentacle. Silently, he threw himself at the pulsing mass, clawing at the soft, jellied head as he tried to force the creature away from the water and towards the darkened forest. Wincing slightly as the youkai's screams of pain pierced his eardrums, Sesshoumaru yanked the shaft from the tentacle and slammed it into one of the water demon's huge eyes.   
  
Viscous grey liquid wept from the wounded eye, burning a track down the bulbous mass and upon the demon lord's white silk pants. Even as they trembled in pain, mottled tentacles pushed and prodded until Sesshoumaru's strong body was flung far from its own.   
  
"Get away from them!" a voice called out.   
  
The human priestess, Sesshoumaru barely kept himself from groaning as he spared a glance for the interfering woman. She stood, thigh-deep in the flowing water, arrow nocked and ready as she aimed the sharp projectile point directly at the youkai's remaining eye.   
  
"You better do it fast," the girl threatened, her soft voice steeled with resolve. "Now. Before my fingers 'accidentally' slip."   
  
The youkai, its tentacles thrashing wildly as it focused its eye upon the diminutive figure, snarled as it backed slowly away. Suddenly, it threw a tentacle towards Rin, enveloping the child in its moist form. Carelessly, oblivious to the small fists that beat against the translucent mass, the water demon dangled the child before it as a shield.   
  
Sesshoumaru stopped, stunned into inaction as he watched Rin's face turn a ghastly shade of white as her wide eyes beseeched him to rescue her. Instinctively, he drew the sword that dangled innocuously at his side, taking comfort in the steel's cold, hard mass as he swung it experimentally.   
  
"Demonheart or the girl. Take your pick. You will find me at Shadowfalls in the north territory in three days," the youkai intoned, its voice caustic and smug. Confidently, it stepped back into the river, the child gripped roughly between the tentacles. With more grace than Sesshoumaru would have thought possible, the youkai disappeared from sight, the only clue as to its presence was the lingering echo of its garish voice. "Three days."   
  
Shaking his head slowly as his eyes fell upon the young priestess whose cheeks were filled with rosy exertion as she touted the bow in hand, the demon lord felt all of his tenuously restrained anger burst in a sudden flood.   
  
"This," Sesshoumaru whispered, aghast at the emotion tangible in his normally inflectionless voice but unable to help himself. "This is all your fault."   
  
The girl regarded him strangely, her black pupils so wide that the lovely brown of her eyes was hidden. Had he not known better, he would have thought _she_ was the one who had just been attacked from the shock in her eyes. "Sesshoumaru?"   
  
  
  



	5. Strange Bedfellows

  
**Title:** Demonheart   
**Author:** Celyia (ladycelyia@aol.com)   
**Rating:** R   
**Genre:** Romance/Adventure   
**Pairing:** Kagome/Sesshoumaru   
**Disclaimer:** I own nothing.   
**Distribution:** Feel free. Just let me know where it goes :- )   
**Notes:** Really! I'm trying to avoid OOC-ness, but I can't seem to manage it. Forgive me! Also, I'm in shock because these chapters are turning out so short. My goodness. What happened to my normal loquaciousness? Anyway. :-) This story is coming along MUCH slower than intended due to my fears of being horribly out of character, although Sesshoumaru can be excused a little since he's been having a hard day... (after being turned into a human and all :-) . Sorry! Oh, there's a serious chance this may change into a NC-17. Please let me know how you feel about that, though keep in mind that my NC-17s are usually extremely mild.   
  


* * *

  
  
**Chapter Four: Strange Bedfellows**   
  
  
  
He stood quietly, his well-formed lips pulled into a fierce frown as he regarded the girl with disgust. "This is all your fault," he repeated, his hands clenching into a tight fist. Unable to quell the rage which burned inside of him, Sesshoumaru took a deliberately slow, threatening step closer to the young priestess.   
  
Barely restraining a malicious grin as the girl instinctively stepped back, the demon lord scanned the priestess's visage for weakness. His golden eyes, narrowed with hostility, flitted over the drenched form, barely taking in the wet, stringy hair and shoeless feet. There it was, he thought as he ignored the strange, white shirt that was buttoned once over her breasts, leaving her stomach and most of her chest uncovered. The weaknesses were visible in the large, glowing eyes that were filling with tears even as he stood there watching.   
  
"Nosy humans, always interfering in business they know nothing of," he continued, a gleam coming to his eye as he noticed the girl's slightly trembling hands. No longer able to hide her fear, was she?   
  
Good.   
  
"Had you not interfered, I, Sesshoumaru, would have defeated that insignificant youkai with ease. But no, you and your piddling little sharpened twigs had to step in long enough to get the child killed."   
  
Large blue orbs blinked up at him, watery with guilt and despair. Quietly, the girl adjusted her rather tenuous grip upon the wooden shaft of her long bow, unable or unwilling to look away from the hate and resentment in the man's eyes. The girl's fear, of either the situation or Rin's fate, was tangible.   
  
It was an amazing transformation, he would later think.   
  
Her beautiful eyes (and even he, as much as it galled him to think, had to admit that they were unusually beautiful) suddenly hardened even as he enjoyed her fear and she turned her attention towards the quickly-flowing river. With a toss of her head, she slung the large weapon across her back and started jogging upstream, the wet skirt clinging to her every curve as she dashed over the rocks and plants.   
  
Shaking his head as he watched her scramble over a small rise, Sesshoumaru wondered briefly at the girl's lack of directional sense. His brother's village was to the east, not the north.   
  
Then it hit him.   
  
"Absolutely not!" he roared, momentarily regretting the lack of strength the flimsy human vocal cords in his throat lent to his words. "You! Girl! Go back to your little village before you foul the situation even more."   
  
She paused in mid-step, her black hair a striking contrast to the white of the shirt the wet straggles clung to. Slowly, she turned, her chin jutted out as if it took every bit of her willpower not to cry.   
  
Blinking as he regarded the girl carefully, Sesshoumaru took a step forward as if the short distance covered would make the expression on her pretty face easier to read.   
  
She's either incredibly brave or infinitely foolish, he decided as he started walking slowly towards the young lady. Probably the latter considering she's Inuyasha's companion, Sesshoumaru told himself firmly, although some brutally honest bit in his character denied the likelihood of that scenario. Intrigued more than infuriated by the girl's sheer gall, Sesshoumaru decided to let the infraction slide this once, giving the woman the questionable distinction of being the first and only human to ever shoot the demon lord a dirty look and live.   
  
  
  


***

  
  
  
  
The toad demon leaned against his staff, frowning, as he tasted the traces of battle. Flickering his tongue through the moist air, Jaken closed his eyes as he tried to concentrate on the information filtering through his senses.   
  
There had been no doubt Master Sesshoumaru had been in battle with a youkai here, the stumpy retainer decided as he opened his eyes to glance over the scene. He could taste that strange saltiness that had defiled his Master's presence since the Incident, but information beyond that wasn't forthcoming.   
  
Had things been the way it should be, Jaken growled as he hopped upon the top of the staff and balanced precariously upon the shrunken heads, he could taste where Sesshoumaru had gone. Sesshoumaru had left him a thousand times in the past, but that was never a problem when the retainer had the distinctive taste of a demon lord to follow, but now…   
  
Now Sesshoumaru tasted like every single one of the other insignificant humans out there.   
  
It was enough to make the toad demon sick to his stomach.   
  
Sighing as he jumped back to the forest ground, Jaken hefted the heavy staff in both hands. There was something so blasphemous, he thought as an image of the human Sesshoumaru flashed before his eyes, about this entire situation. Sesshoumaru had been born to be the greatest of the demon lords, and the idea that even he could be cursed by humanity left Jaken feeling oddly uneasy. If even Sesshoumaru-sama could fall victim, then…   
  
Trembling as he tried to break free from the thought, Jaken gazed over the scene of battle.   
  
This would be the first of many, he nodded his head slowly as he tried one last time to discover the route his master had taken.   
  
Berating himself for his failure, Jaken pushed out his lower mandible as he dashed quietly towards the east. His master may never forgive him for what could be construed as a betrayal, the retainer realised, but Sesshoumaru-sama was helpless right now as a human. Without the loyal toad demon there to watch the youkai's back, Sesshoumaru was doomed.   
  
Bracing himself for actions he fully realised would probably lead to his own doom, Jaken hurried towards the small village that rested so near by. No. Sesshoumaru-sama would never forgive him for this transgression, but too much was at stake.   
  
Yes, Jaken told himself as he clutched the staff tightly in his small hands. It was time to ask Inuyasha for help.   
  
  
  
  
  



End file.
